Hand Embroidered Suzani Wall Hanging "Butta", Green on Black

• Hand embroidery on cotton, traditional suzani style, made by Tajik artisans at Armughon Handicrafts 

• Featured at UNESCO Award of Excellence booth at 2015 Santa Fe International Folk Art Market

• Embroidery on 100% cotton; handwoven ikat border (60% cotton/40% silk)

• Approximately 17" X 22"

• Hanging rod not included

This hand-embroidered wall decoration has been handmade with love by using local nature friendly materials and methods. It is a perfect gift for a loved one as it carries many special wishes. Every detail in this wall decoration has been carefully chosen and carries a historic meaning and a good wish.  The tajik word for a wall decoration is suzani, that comes from the word suzan, which means needle. Hanging embroideries on walls has a long history in Tajik art, especially in the Sughd region. The bush is a symbol in Tajik culture for long life.

The embroidery on this item was handcrafted  by unemployed Panjakenti women living in the mountainous areas.  This panno (small wall hanging) is part of ZDTA’s (Zarafshan Toursim Development Association) handicraft project, which aims to both conserve, nurture and develop local art traditions and also improve the life quality of women living in Panjakenti rural areas by involving them in the local economy.

Armughon Handicrafts is the handicrafts arm of the Zerafshan Tourism Development Association (ZTDA) in Panjakent, Tajikistan, just across the border from Samarkand. ("Armughon" means "gift, a reminder of a place" in Tajik.)   ZTDA works to preserve, nurture and develop local art traditions, while also improving the quality of life for women living in the Panjakenti rural areas by involving them in the local economy. ZTDA designer Munira Akilova creates new products that incorporate traditional suzani (embroidery) and quroq (patchwork) techniques and traditional patterns and ornaments from the Zerafshan Valley. As she explains,  "Each piece has its own meaning, [and] a part of Zerafshan."  Several of her designs have received the UNESCO Award of Excellence for Craft.

Click here for more information about Armughon Handicrafts.